Dreams to Come
by Twitteringpig
Summary: Its one of those girl sent to Middle Earth Romance story. Don't be fooled by the first paragraph. Please read on just a little farther.. Boromir Romance too hopefully.
1. Chapter 1

AN// Well, this is the first chapter of I have no clue how many. There will be romance. May be borderlining a Mary Sue being as it is about a girl being sent to Middle Earth, but I'll try not to stick to the norm. On with it then.   
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Really. I'm having a serious lack of cash, so if anyone has any to spare...So don't sue. Not worth your time or mine.  
  
Chapter 1.  
  
Nibinaranwenaminiwen glided through the wooded glade. Her long silver blond hair blew out behind her as she danced across the path in front of her. She gracefully let her ridiculously heavy haversack fall to the ground as the green leaves of the forest shone in her even greener eyes and reflected off her star white skin. Suddenly Legolas appeared and he fell in lo- "Pha! That's enough of that!" Ayden reached over and shut off the monitor on her computer.  
  
"I see that paper is coming along really well. Me too. The late night movie on Showcase wasn't the best tonight but not bad," Madison flicked off the small lamp beside the couch and slid her three quarter empty popcorn bowl along the cluttered counter. "Think we should get some dishes done before we hit the sack?"  
  
Ayden leaned back in her worn, overstuffed, computer chair and smiled at her racoon eyed flat mate, "You've asked that every night for the past two weeks. That is why I keep saying we get some of that Gladware stuff or some paper plates. We could just throw them out."  
  
"Yeah, well when was the last time either one of us took out the trash?" Madison laughed. Both took a look at the overflowing can that sat in a corner of the kitchen and shuddered.  
  
"Lets leave all till tomorrow," Ayden stood up and stretched. Dark circles surrounded her murky greenish eyes. Cracking her knuckles, she made her way past the piles of clothes to the door of her room.  
  
"Promise?" Madison leaped over to her door and poked her head in.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"We'll start at nine. Make a day of it."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Maybe we should go outside instead. You know, out for a walk or something. We're both looking a little ghosty."  
  
"Alrighty then."  
  
"Which is it? Outside or cleaning?" Madison leaned further in.  
  
"How about we clean, then go from there?" Ayden rolled over and pulled the covers up over her head.  
  
"Works for me." Madison closed Ayden's door and manuvered her way around to her room.  
  
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Ayden woke with a groan. The bed was to her right and the sheets were tangled all around her legs. The alarm clock up on the bedside table against her back glowed eleven o'clock am. Kicking her way free, Ayden pulled her baggy pyjama pants up and her short spaghetti strap shirt down. She shuffled out of her room with her eyes barely open. Grabbing her toothbrush she sat on the toilet seat as she lazily brushed back and forth. She spit and wiped her mouth before moving on into the kitchen. Ayden grabbed the box of Count Chocula cereal from a half open cupboard and wandered around to Madison's room. No one was in it. With a sigh, Ayden shoved one more handful of the cereal into her mouth before putting the box down. She pulled her medium length brown hair up into two loose braids without bothering to brush any of it.  
  
"Okay. First thing to do is um..." She glanced around the room before she settled on the T.V. area. She grabbed a big green garbage bag from under the sink and started shoving things in trying not to look in detail at what was growing on the old bag of chips or half eaten piece of toast with peanut butter. In no time flat, the coffee table and under and around it were both in fairly clean states. There were still many crumbs, but the vacuum could pick those up.  
  
The couch itself was an old beat up one that Ayden had found someone trying to throw out. It really did need to be pitched, but it was comfortable and free, so it stayed. Ayden cleaned it up a bit. She folded up the quilts and found a five-dollar bill in between the seat cushions.  
  
"BACK!!!" Madison called from outside the door. Ayden opened the door and almost got soaked in steaming hot coffee. "I got coffee for us and groceries for...um...us also. Darn! I was really hoping you would have more of this place clean before I got back. Oh well."  
  
"Ah, I see. Normally I would be mad at you for leaving me with cleaning the place, but you brought coffee so it's all good." Ayden carried the two coffees and set them down on a corner of the counter before setting the full brown bags next to it.  
  
Madison flicked on the computer and turned on some music before she set out to clean around the desk area. Every now and again she would pause to change to a better song at Ayden's request, but other than that, the girls worked in determined silence.  
  
Grimacing, Ayden tackled the kitchen. Feverishly pitching things into the soapy sink trying to ignore the smells.  
  
Four hours later, the apartment was in fairly decent shape. The laundry was piled in three laundry bins ready to be taken to the laundermat, the floor just needed to be vaccumed, three full garbage bags stood by the door ready to be thrown down the shute and the girls sat on the couch exhausted.  
  
"I don't want to go outside. Too.Weak." Madison grabbed the remote and started flicking around trying to find something to watch on T.V.  
  
"Its getting cloudy anyways," Ayden sighed and looked out the window.  
  
"How about a movie then?" Ayden flopped over to see what they had for DVD's under the coffee table. "...Price of Milk? Karl Urban is cute in it."  
  
"Nah. I've seen it too many times this past week," Madison answered.  
  
"Rocky Horror Picture show? Tim Curry in heals."  
  
"That movie wrecked Muppet Treasure Island for me."  
  
"What the?...Why do we have Harry Potter?"  
  
"Ah-I just felt like buying it one day. Its for ah-when my little sister comes to visit." Madison stammered grabbing at the case in Ayden's hand.  
  
"Lord of the Rings it is then," Ayden sat up and crawled towards the DVD player. She unfolded the case and set the first disc in. The player closed and whirred as it read the DVD. A huge boom of thunder shook the whole apartment and all the lights flickered and went out. Madison's eyes grew wide with fright as she looked at Ayden.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ayden asked.  
  
Madison just pointed back at her. Ayden turned around and saw that the DVD player was still going, Except the whirring was getting louder. Ayden reached over to press the eject button. Madison squeeled "No! Don't touch it!" And grabbed at Ayden.  
  
"Oh come on," She smiled as her friend grabbed on to her wrist, but she pressed the button with her other hand anyways.  
  
A shock shot through Ayden's entire body. It wasn't just a little one too. It tingled from where her finger was all the way down to her toes. Ayden became acutely aware of a silence that seemed to echo throughout the room. Something was missing. She sat for what seemed like minutes thinking about it. Her breathing. She could no longer hear the constant in and out of her lungs. A buzzing sound started out of nowhere. It was her heart. It felt like it was beating so fast it was about to burst. The buzzing like that of humming bird wings grew louder and louder till her head rang in the sound and her world went dark.  
  
AN//Please review. Thanks to all those who actually read to the end of the chapter. 


	2. Chapter 2

AN// Thank you my two reviewers. I'm sorry Galadrielwannabe. I hated where my other story was going, so yeah, this is my replacement one. I hope you don't mind too much.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, or am making money doing this, though I wish I was.  
  
Chapter 2. Falling on my Own.  
  
Fear clenched at Ayden's stomach. She felt the feeling of falling, but in the dark silence she couldn't be sure. The silence pounded into her head and made the waves of sickness all the more unbearable. Again, there wasn't any breath. No heart beat echoed in her chest. Just the constant waves in her stomach. She suddenly became aware that her throat was sore and raw. It felt like she had been screaming, yet she hadn't heard anything, so couldn't be sure. Shutting her teary eyes, Ayden brought her knees up to her chest in a pitiful attempt to hide from the feel of falling.  
  
~*~  
  
Madison woke with a start. It felt like she had been walking down stairs and expected an extra step when there wasn't one. Rain spattered down and bounced off her glasses as she lay flat on her back. Blinking back the odd drop, she carefully moved every limb checking to be sure they were all in working order. Slowly, she lifted herself up and looked around her for the first time. Ayden was lying beside her. Her face was white as a sheet and she trembled every so often with tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes.  
  
"Ayden." Madison leaned over and shook Ayden's shoulder trying to wake her up. "Ayden." She called a little louder, "Ayden!"  
  
With a scream, Ayden shot up. Panting, with her eyes as wide as saucers, she leaped up and feverishly looked around. Madison also leaped to her feet and grabbed Ayden in a tight bear hug. At first, Ayden fought back, but slowly cooled down when Madison's hold didn't loosen.  
  
The rain started falling a little heavier now. Night was approaching and with it was a cold, wet, darkness that soon left the girls all alone at the edge of a muddy, dirt road.  
  
Madison slowly let Ayden slip out of her grasp. "Are you alright?" she asked as Ayden collapsed on the ground.  
  
Ayden cleared her throat a couple times before replying, "I'm. Yeah. I'm alright now." She picked herself up and gave Madison a small smile. "Where the hell are we anyways?" Both girls turned around in slow circles trying to peer through the soggy darkness.  
  
Madison grabbed Ayden's hand and pulled her up onto the road. In silence, she tried to cover her eyes from rain with one of her hands. "A ha! I though I saw a light. See over there?" She pointed to a spec of light that flickered in the middle of nowhere. They looked at each other for a moment before they started off towards it. As they got closer to it, they saw that it was some kind of walled fortress that had a lantern hanging off a hook beside a narrow door. Ayden raised her hand looked at Madison. Both girls were now completely soaked and were beyond shivering. It had taken almost two hours to walk from where they were around to where the lantern was hung. Madison gave Ayden a nod and Ayden gently rapped on the door. They both listened carefully, but all they could hear was the creak of the metal lantern on its hook. Ayden swallowed hard and knocked again. This time with more power. A door creaked from the other side and a slit at eye level to the girls shot open startling them. "Two lasses eh?" An elderly voice wheezed. The shifty eyes shot from side to side looking at the road behind them. "What are two lasses like you wandering around in this weather for?"  
  
Ayden gave Madison a quick look before turning back to the man. "I'm sorry sir, but we're lost and this-"  
  
The door swung open and the old man held up a lantern. Madison looked at him for a moment before shaking her head. He seemed somehow familiar. "Get in here both of you. There are strange things afoot in this land now-a- days. Can't be too careful."  
  
Madison's eyes grew wide as she recognized the man finally. "We'd best go up to the prancing pony and see if we can't find a spare room for the night." Madison grabbed Ayden's forearm and clung to it desperately trying to pull her away. Ayden looked at her in alarm when Madison had spoken of the Prancing Pony.  
  
"I'll take ya up there. At this time of night I wouldn't be able to relax without knowing if you both got there safely. Lots of creeps around that wouldn't mind keeping you two for a bit of a rodger," The gate keeper bolted the gate door shut and held his own tiny lantern out as he stepped up the hill in front of the girls. They looked at each other and shuddered at the thought of being jumped like that.  
  
The old man was surprisingly sure footed on the slick ground. Both Ayden and Madison at one point or another slipped in the mud. Both girls huddled together trying to ignore the looks that they got from the men half hidden in the shadows. A door opened suddenly and they saw above it the swinging sign of the Prancing Pony Inn. They slipped into the door and thanked the man for his services. He merely gave a crooked toothed grin and a wave and he plodded back into the darkness leaving them in the smoky, smelly, dingy room that looked like a pub. Ayden looked at Madison and grabbed her hand tightly. Madison looked over the counter and looked for a bell to ring for service or something.  
  
A huge bald headed man finally popped out from behind the counter. He was polishing a grimy mug, which seemed to just get dirtier every time he rubbed it. "Welcome little ladies. And what can ol' Butterbur do for you two tonight?"  
  
"Well sir, we got kind of lost on our way to. umm. to the Shire!" Ayden had to think quickly for a moment. "You see, we got caught out in the rain, and we don't have any money on us, but we would be willing to work for a room for the night and maybe a small meal?" She asked hopefully.  
  
"O' course you can! All I have left are some small Hobbit Rooms in the back, but I don't think you two will mind. You'll still fit on the beds. Just dry off for a moment in your room and I'll send Nob up with some food for both of you. After that, just come down and I'll find you something both to do," Butterbur whistled, and a curly haired, large footed, short statured, fellow came bounding out of a kitchen and ran over to the desk. "Nob, can you take these girls up to room seven?"  
  
"Yup. Sure can sir," Nob smiled at them.  
  
"Oh. I almost forgot. Before you head off, you need to sign the guest book. Just your names will do. Just what are you doing heading towards the Shire?" Butterbur watched as Ayden quickly scratched her name down on the yellow papered book.  
  
"Uh, just doing some stuff for our friends in the Dale," Madison scratched her name as well, but paused noting the names of P. Took, M. Brandybuck, Sam Gamgee, and a Mr. Underhill.  
  
"Alright. You're all set. Come back down once you're good and dry," Butterbur closed the book and stowed it under the counter again.  
  
"N baggage eh? Well that just makes my job all the easier," Nob smiled. Ayden and Madison smiled and followed him up a set of narrow stairs or two and around a corner. The girls ducked under the door and stepped into the room. A table was already set out with A loaf of bread and a slab of cheese. A kettle steamed on a hot-mat and another hobbit was sitting by the fire poking it into life.  
  
"Thanks Bob. Saved me a trip back up here," Nob's wide grin grew wider as he and Bob made sure the room was in working order. "See you both soon," They called as they walked through the round door and back downstairs.  
  
"Okay. Why the hell are we in Bree!?" Ayden flumped down on one of the squishy beds and pulled the heavy sweatshirt that still smelled like Mr. Clean off and draped it across one of the chairs. They both still had on their pyjamas, but Madison had on a zip up jogger top and Ayden had her U of A sweatshirt because the cleaners had started making her skin itch. Madison shook out her short hair and stood by the fire trying to stay close to the heat and still cut a slice of the cheese.  
  
"I dunno. You're the fan fiction expert. How do most show up here?" Madison threw a chunk of the loaf of bread to Ayden along with a hunk of cheese.  
  
"Well, I'm confused, because most of those stories, the girls end up just outside Rivendell where the elves take them in and all is swell as they fall in love with one of the major characters," Ayden smiled at Madison as she talked through a hunk of bread.  
  
Madison poured the tea and both sat in silence sipping on it. "Do you think 'Mr. Underhill' and company are down there?" Madison asked breaking the heavy silence.  
  
Ayden put her empty mug down on the table and grabbed another hunk of cheese, "I don't know. There's only one way to find out I guess." Both girls grabbed their still slightly damp shirts and pulled them on to cover their bare arms and headed through the round door and down the stairs into the smoke filled pub.  
  
AN// I really meant for them to meet the Hobbits and Strider in this chapter, but it didn't quite come out that way. Oh well. They can't miss them next chapter. I really didn't think the gate keeper got enough credit for his work. Thanks for reading this far. Please Review as always. 


	3. Chapter 3

AN// Thank you for all my wonderful reviews. I lurv you all. Each and every one of you. Oh, just a warning, I typed this late at night, and I don't think I'm thinking straight as have a note in front of me that says "That's that Mr. Hat? You mean we should. KILL KATHY LEE GIFFORD?!" And I keep cracking up whenever I look down, so I apologize for spelling/punctuation/grammar/any other stupid mistake I make. If you survive, Thank you, and please come again.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. That makes me sad.  
  
Chapter 3.  
  
Ayden followed Madison carefully down the creaky wooden stairs. Both girls' noses itched from the pungent tobacco like smoke. This smoke seemed richer and thicker. No one really looked up from their pints as the girls slunk into the room and scurried over to the bar.  
  
"There y'are. Everything alright?" Butterbur smiled at the cowering girls. "Slide back 'ere you," He motioned for Ayden who was almost shaking with fear of the couple of looks she was getting. She ducked under the lifting door and stood beside Butterbur. "Your names again? I'm sorry. I 'ave a horrible memory."  
  
"I'm.I'm Ayden, and she's Madison," Ayden felt a little safer standing beside the round innkeeper.  
  
"Strange names. Nice, but strange. All right. Well you, Ayden, can start by washin' up these glasses. You'll be safer here because you can deny ale to anyone if they're getting rough." Butterbur gave her anther smile, "I'll give you the meals to take to the tables." He looked over at Madison. "Think you can handle it?"  
  
"Yeah. I've done this kind of thing before," Madison remembered some of her previous work experiences. " I don't think there will be anything I can't handle here."  
  
"If anyone is really getting on your case, be sure to let me know all right?" Butterbur handed her four foaming half pints of ale and motioned over to the table off to the side with four hobbits sitting at it. Two were having a right good time, but the other two seemed like they were trying to be swallowed up by the walls. Madison caught Ayden's eye and gave a shrug over in their direction. Ayden gave a quick grin and bent over a glass and scrubbed it fiercely, but every few seconds she would look up. Madison weaved her way around the different tables and chairs and approached the hobbits. "Four ales then?" Madison slid them across the table to each person. "Are y'all regulars around here or just passing through?"  
  
"Passing through, though I say we come more regularly eh Merry?" The one that Madison guessed was Pippin said nudging who was now for sure Merry. "Well, if you need anything else, just flag me down." Madison casually smiled at them. She could hardly keep from bursting into hysterics as she slid away from the hobbit's table and back over to Ayden.  
  
"Is it?"  
  
"Yup," Madison squealed quietly.  
  
"Is you know here too?" Ayden made frantic hand motions with the rag, but Madison didn't need a better description.  
  
Madison spun around and searched carefully in every dark corner. He was there. Shrouded in a thick cloak with his long legs sticking out from under the table sat none other than 'Strider.' Ayden nearly dropped one of the thick glasses she was blushing so much. Butterbur suddenly popped up with more pints and some steaming bread. "Here you go. Get back out there. I don't want any thirsty customers."  
  
For the most part of about three hours, Madison hurried back and forth from the counter to customers while Ayden scrubbed cups and mugs and pints as fast as she could. She saw now how hard it really was to get each glass clean to the point of where she, herself would drink for it. Madison was starting to get a little irritated at some of the men who insisted on smacking or pinching her on the rump whenever she walked by. Every time they did that, she spilled more ale all over herself.  
  
Ayden watched a couple men who stood out more than the others. They didn't stand out in the good way like Strider or the Hobbits, but in a darker way. They were up to something. The one Madison pointed out as Merry had dropped in for a moment and asked her for a whole pint. Ayden's smile was a mile wide as she handed it over. Of course he scurried back to his spot and left Ayden with just empty glasses for company. Huddled over a particularly dirty glass, she was caught off guard as Pippin popped up on a stool.  
  
"A whole pint please," Pippin made sure the throw the whole in there.  
  
"Lets switch up here," Madison slid around Ayden and pushed a pint towards Pippin. Ayden was pushed out from behind the bar and Madison handed her two pints and pointed to a table close to where Strider sat. Ayden ducked around a couple groups of loud men and passed by some hobbits standing on tables singing.  
  
Madison found the grubby rag and began to scrub the rim and insides of a particularly grimy cup. She was smiling to herself as she compared Billy Boyd's voice to that of the actual Pippin.  
  
"-Frodo Baggins. He's my-" Madison blinked for a moment, then her head shot up.  
  
"Pippin! NO!" A dark haired, blue eyed hobbit came bounding out from his seat and grabbed at Pippin. A flash of gold was all that Madison saw. She looked up and saw Ayden, wide eyed right next to Strider who leaped out of his seat. He slid around behind her, but Ayden grabbed him quickly and pulled him against her in a hard kiss. She then threw him off with a piercing scream. She shoved him back in the general direction of where Frodo was. "HOW DARE YOU SIR!" She was as white as chalk and was fanning herself as she leaned against the roaring fire. All eyes now rested on her, as she made sure her chest was heaving in a really overly dramatic way, but the men didn't seem to mind. Madison sprinted over to where she was. "Are you all right dear? He didn't hurt you did he?" Madison leaned in to Ayden's face past the point of comfort for most friends. All eyes were now on the two. "I'm." She hesitated, glancing over Madison's shoulder. She saw Aragorn shove someone up the stairs. "NO!" She wailed collapsing on Madison's shoulder. She saw Sam, Merry, and Pippin standing around in panic. She waved her hands frantically, and finally Merry noticed. He grabbed all the other hobbits and bound up the stairs. Pippin grabbed a stool and Merry, a candlestick.  
  
Nob came bounding out from the doors, "All right. Nothing to see here folks. Go back to your drinks. Hey Bob! Start another chorus to that last song." He looked up Ayden. "Shall I escort you to your room?" He asked. She felt bad lying to a cute hobbit like Nob, but she made another wave of crocodile tears well up and she allowed herself to be led away.  
  
Madison hurried over to where Butterbur was frantically filling up beers. "I'm sorry 'bout that ranger. I don't trust him one bit."  
  
"Oh no. It's all right. He's.never mind. I'd better go check that Ayden is all right though." She quickly excused herself and hurried up the stairs.  
  
"I'll be sure to send up breakfast for you two in the morning."  
  
"Thank you," Madison called as she reached the top.  
  
She burst in the room. "What in the blue hell was that?!"  
  
Ayden sat on the bed. She was actually shaking, "Oh my god. I GLOMPED ARAGORN!" her eyes were wide with fear and she shook a little. "How horrible can you get? Aragorn! Of course he'll tell Arwen all about it and she'll hate me, and because she hates me, all the other elves will hate me. Meaning I might find some friends with Dwarves, which would spare me the pain of plucking eyebrows ever again b-" She stopped suddenly at the sound of someone knocking at the door. She made a small squeaking noise and leapt out of her seat. Madison gave a small chuckle and opened the door. Strider pushed his way in and turned around in the room. The hobbits also shuffled in, but they gave a nod to Madison as they entered.  
  
"What do you know?" Strider paced the room and quickly snuffed out all the candles. Ayden gave another squeak. He suddenly looked down at her cowering in the corner and gave the fleeting shadow of a smile. "Arwen, as will all the other elves consider what you did an act of bravery. How exactly do you know about Arwen?" He tried again, this time a little more gently.  
  
"We're the omnipotent characters that are actually not really here and this is all a dream you're having as you lay in the bushes beside your stick fire. Why should we tell you?" Madison crossed her arms across her chest. She was actually trying frantically to figure out a story for the two of them.  
  
Aragorn seemed not to notice the sarcasm, "You know far too much for your own good. Both of you."  
  
"What are you going to do to them?" Pippin asked quietly from across the room.  
  
"Do? There's really nothing I can do. I will not be blamed for the murder of two innocent girls, so it seems they will have to come along until further questioning. Do you have any rope Sam?" Aragorn grabbed the rope off of Sam's pack, and turned to face Madison.  
  
"You ain't gonna drag me all the way to Rivendell tied up like a prisoner," Madison backed away from Aragorn.  
  
"Oh, but that is what you are until you are proven innocent," Aragorn lunged and cornered Madison. He spun her around and bound both her arms together behind her back. Ayden didn't put up much of a fight and was quickly tied on behind Madison with her arms out in front of her. She couldn't move her hands enough to wriggle loose, though the ropes didn't bite into her wrists yet and she still had feeling in them.  
  
The Hobbits just looked on in fear as Aragorn strode past them and out the door and led the girls from in front.  
  
Bob's head suddenly appeared from around the corner, "I managed to find you a horse sir, or well, a pony, but- what the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Oh its all right. Please tell Butterbur that he has been wonderful, and I shall recommend this place to all my friends when they're headed this way," Madison said to the wide eyed hobbit that just stared as the whole party moved on, and out the door without another word. Aragorn tied the girl's lead to the pony's bridle and gave the horse's lead to Sam. Sam gave the girls a worried look and then at the pony, "Bill."  
  
"What?" Merry looked back at him.  
  
"I think I'll call him Bill," Sam replied still looking at the pony.  
  
"Bill the pony. Nice ring to it," Ayden smiled down at the blushing Sam.  
  
"Quiet. We don't need any unnecessary attention drawn to us," Aragorn led them all out a gate at the edge of town. The rain had slowed down to a mere drizzle, but the sky was still black, though the silver light of dawn was creeping through the clouds. "Come. We must make haste. There are things hunting you Frodo."  
  
"Oh God! You mean the-" Ayden made some odd gestures that seemed to amuse Pippin, but only Madison understood it.  
  
"Oh we're fucked," Madison looked around as if expecting to see a Nazgul come from behind her.  
  
"Hurry. We must be quiet, and stay off the main roads," Aragorn stepped off the road suddenly and dropped down into a ditch. "As the crow flies, we should be in Rivendell in a little over a weeks time."  
  
"Yeah, well fly, fly away crow-boy. What is that in our time?" Madison snorted at her own joke and the look that everyone was giving her.  
  
"Probably more than two weeks if we're lucky." Aragorn rolled his eyes and started through the trees. The hobbits looked at the girls, then hurried to keep up with him. Madison and Ayden trotted along beside Bill, each giving each other worried looks.  
  
AN// I'm sorry. I skipped a few things, but meh. Will have chapters up faster than that, its just I was. well, being a slacker. Please review. They keep me going. 


	4. Chapter 4

AN//Thank you everyone who reviewed. I procrastinate way too much. I've re-done this chapter more than three times, and I'm still not happy with it. I'll probably eventally re-do it, but for now, here you go.  
  
"How long do you think it will be till we reach Weathertop?" Ayden whispered to Madison.  
  
"I'm not sure. We should be able to see it a couple days before we get there I think," Madison whispered back not taking her eyes off of Aragorn's back that would disappear every now and again as he navigated through the brush.  
  
"I hope we stop for breakfast soon. Sleeping outside never really sits well with me. Especially since at the inn a couple days ago we should have gotten a fairly decent sleep, but no, we had to set off again and slog through mud and sleep on rocks and roots." Pippin walked beside the girls but was more muttering to himself than anyone else.  
  
Madison smiled down at Pippin, "Well, at least we'll be in Rivendell sooner and into warm beds faster this way."  
  
"True I guess," Pippin gave Madison a smile, and then quickly realized what he was doing and turned away with a scowl. Aragorn had told the hobbits that if the girls were let loose, he would ban them from meals till they got to Rivendell after Pippin had loosened Ayden's hands. The threat seemed to have worked. It was almost a week since they had left the inn, and the girls had never had the rope off their wrists since, much to their frustration.  
  
Aragorn popped out from the other side of Bill and glared at the girls as he moved past them. They both thought he was hoping that his silent treatment and glares would eventually make them confess to being spies straight out of Mordor sent to capture the ring and kill, maim, and destroy everything around them.   
  
"Aragorn. We've been dragged through a huge bog, been almost eaten alive by 'neekerbreekers' and we're tired, hungry, dirty, wet, and cold. I think we deserve a decent answer, so how many more days till we get to Weathertop?" Madison slid along the mud caked rope that was attached to Bill till she was beside him.  
  
"Whoever said we were going to Weathertop?" Aragorn looked at her for a moment before jumping on top of a rock beside him and shielded his eyes from the steady drizzle of rain to look around.   
  
Madison looked up at him with wide eyes, "NO! I KNOW IT! WE'RE GOING TO WEATHERTOP! I'M CERTAIN OF IT!" Aragorn grabbed her forearm and dragged her up on the rock next to him.  
  
"There it is. We'll be up there by this evening," Aragorn jumped down and plodded on ahead of the rag-tag group.  
  
"Oh…" Madison jumped down and evened out the rope that had been pulled through Bill's harness and had Ayden caught pressed up against him.  
  
The going was slow the rest of the way. It seemed to be always just out of reach of the group. There was always one more step to take. The sun had peaked out long enough to give the evening sky a deep purple look just as it set, but that's it. Finally, the tired group struggled up its cracked and uneven path to reach a part in the mountain where the rock over top jutted out and protected them from more rain in the night. Everyone threw their packs down except the girls who didn't have one. Aragorn handed the hobbits blades and shot the girls a look before he took off. Madison let out a sigh and flopped down on her back. In moments, she was out like a candle. Ayden looked at her sleeping friend, then shuffled forward on her stomach till she reached the edge and could see all around. Darkness was creeping over the grounds below and soon, it was all a murky blackness except for the eerie white fog that covered the ground. Horses. She should listen for horses. Ayden pressed her ear to the ground and closed her eyes to hear better. Silence.  
  
"-Put it out you fools! Put it out!" Ayden's eyes flew open and she quickly sat up and looked around. Frodo was flailing around and stomping on the small fire that the other hobbits had made. Ayden quickly looked around the ground and sure enough, thick black shadows cut through the dense fog. Coldness gripped Ayden as she sat helplessly staring at the approaching shadows. Madison's hands appeared on her shoulders and she blinked again, but she seemed so slow to turn and look at Madison. Madison grabbed Ayden and heaved her to her feet.   
  
"Hurry up! Go! Go! Up the stairs!" She yelled at the terrified hobbits. Sam threw down his pot of steaming stew and hurried Frodo up the stairs first the other hobbits were right behind him. Ayden scrambled over to where the fire was. She picked up a stick with one end still glowing with heat and began frantically trying to blow it into life. Madison grabbed at her and with the stick still in tow, they ran after the hobbits.  
  
It was cold up on top. A wind whistled around them making it impossible to hear where the Nazgul were going to appear. They all huddled around Frodo and circled frantically, the hobbits had their swords drawn. Grabbing Merry's blade, Madison sawed at the ropes that held her and Ayden. Luckily they had unhooked themselves from Bill. With only one wrist free, they appeared. Silence seemed so heavy around them and everything seemed to slow down till it seemed like it took forever to just turn and look at them. Their dark swords gleamed off armoured hands. No one seemed to move for a moment as Madison looked back and forth from the Hobbits to the Nazgul. She felt light-headed and her eyes didn't quite seem to focus, because all light seemed to be absorbed into the darkness where the hoods covered the missing faces of these kings of old. Swords drawn, they advanced on the hobbits.   
  
Ayden felt fear like someone had placed a huge block of ice on her chest. She couldn't breath properly. It was like the feeling you know you're being watched only blown up to the extreme. She turned her head and saw Madison staring around franticly. Madison caught Ayden's eye suddenly and they just looked looked at each other. The world went from slowing down to just stopping. A clang rang around like an echo. A metal foot on stone. Madison looked up at the closest Nazgul to her. She didn't even blink with the fear still in her eyes, but she lunged forward and rugby tackled it square in the hip with her shoulder. It was like hitting a block of pure steel. Pain radiated through her body but her shoulder felt like it had been hit with a sledgehammer. It just glided on by without even noticing Madison at its feet.  
  
Ayden was screaming, but the pain seemed to make any other sense disappear. She saw the blurred figure of her friend trying to reach the hobbits, but she couldn't because of the rope she was still attached to. Sam tried to fight, but was thrown into a corner and he hit his head on a statue. Merry and Pippin stood in front of Frodo, but were also tossed aside like dirty laundry. Ayden was on her knees and she reached out and dragged Merry out of the way of one of the ringwraiths that swept past.   
  
Everything was fading from Madison's eyes. Black was all around and the far off figures of Ayden and Merry were lost in the inky darkness.   
  
Ayden couldn't scream any more. She clung to Merry as hard as she could as she tried to make the fear leave. Frodo was no longer in sight. He was surrounded by all five of the wraiths. She wanted to dive in and help him, but fear was too much. She would sooner drown herself than leap into a pack of them. She wept with Merry in her arms when they all distinctly heard the sound of Frodo crying out in pain.   
  
Flames leaped out of the air and landed right in the middle of the Nazgul. There was the clang of steel and the wraiths suddenly broke apart. Aragorn fought like a greasy haired bat out of hell. Ayden even almost smiled at that thought. Time started running faster with each swing he took at them. Sam leapt through a gap and found his way to Frodo's side. Everyone except the girls ducked and dodged the fight and made their way to Sam and Frodo. The Nazgul's screams rang through the night as the last one leaped off the ruined tower.   
  
The screams echoed in the night, but they faded in the distance. Aragorn was at Frodo's side in an instant and examined his wound.   
  
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine," Aragorn bend and picked up Frodo easily over one shoulder.   
  
"Please Aragorn. Madison is hurt. Just give me some kind of blade to cut us loose, and we won't weigh you down," Ayden sat beside Madison and begged with a tear stained face.   
  
  
  
"What did the stupid girl do to get hurt so badly?" Aragorn gently handed Frodo down to Sam who propped him up.  
  
"She tackled one of 'em."  
  
Aragorn looked at Ayden for a second checking for any sign of lying, "Stupid girl. No, I can't leave you two here. They might come back. Can you help her along? We must make haste." He drew a knife out of his boot and with one swipe cut all of the ropes off them. He then took out a canteen and poured its contents on Madison's pale face. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped in pain.   
  
"Here, let me help you up," Ayden carefully helped Madison up with her other shoulder. "To Rivendell we go I guess."  
  
"No Morphine or anything? Crap. Oh well. Remember that biking we did with Uncle and you busted up your ribs?" Madison grimaced in pain and carefully made her way down the steep stairs.  
  
"Yup. That was hell for three days," Ayden smiled, "If I could do that, you can do this. Just no shock alright?"  
  
"I'll try not to-"  
  
Aragorn appeared with Frodo over his shoulder again, "Hurry." This time, the girls actually stopped and they wordlessly followed him down the hill and off into the dark foliage. That night, the only time they stopped was once to light a torch and another to check on Frodo and put him up on Bill. Ayden carried Frodo's pack and some other bags that were on Bills back. Madison staggered on, but grew steadily paler as the night went on.   
  
"We sleep now for a few hours. Take some food too," Aragorn finally declared after the sun had peaked over the horizon. He would wake them in a couple of hours and they would all grab an apple or rip off a piece of bread before they would pick up the pace and be on their way again. Wordlessly they trudged on with few stops.   
  
Days passed like this. Ayden was too tired to count how many, but both Frodo and Madison were getting worse. Madison's shoulder was purple and yellow and blue, and about three times the normal size. She was feverish now, but wouldn't stop. She would fall behind, but Merry or Pippin, or Ayden were always there to help her along.  
  
One night, they came to a sudden halt. The cries of the Nazgul were even closer now. At night, Aragorn usually pushed them on even harder, and the cried didn't get that loud. Now Frodo seemed to call back.   
  
"Trolls. Bilbo's trolls!" Sam looked around at each of the stone faces in wonder.   
  
"The same," Aragorn half smiled at Sam's momentary joy, "Sam, Do you know of the plant aetelas? Kingsfoil?"  
  
"Ah, yes. It's a weed."  
  
"It may help to slow the poison." Aragorn and Sam both took off in different directions.   
  
The cries were too loud for anyone to get any sleep, so they all sat together around Frodo and listened for sounds of approaching figures.  
  
"I wonder if we'll see any elves tonight," Madison smiled with her back against one of the trolls.  
  
"I wonder," Ayden smiled back.  
  
"What are you two talking about?" Pippin yawned.  
  
"Just wait a tick," Madison leaned back and closed her eyes. Not three minutes had passed when a glowing white figure came quickly followed by Aragorn, then Sam.  
  
The white elf bent down beside Frodo and spoke quietly, yet everyone could hear.  
  
"What is she saying?" Pippin whispered.   
  
"Her name is Arwen Undomiel and Frodo should come back to the light," Ayden whispered back.  
  
Aragorn and Arwen bent over Frodo and whispered amongst each other. Aragorn picked up Frodo and placed him gently on top of Arwen's white horse. They whispered some more to each other before Arwen mounted her steed and shot off into the distance.   
  
"What are you doing?! Those wraiths are still out there!" Sam was sputtering with rage at Aragorn.   
  
"I think the man knows what he's doing Sam. We'll see him soon. I'm sure of it, Ayden sighed.   
  
"They're getting farther away. They aren't as loud as they were before," Merry sat up straight and listened carefully.   
  
"Get some sleep. We will not stop tomorrow until we reach Rivendell, which will be in the late evening I hope," Aragorn settled down on one of the troll's feet and lit up his pipe that he kept in his chest pocket.   
  
AN//Glad you got to the end. Boromir will probably be in the next chapter for all you that are waiting. Review if you feel like it. 


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